Xiao Yan stayed in Wu Tan City for only three days before departing. Most of that time, he spent helping Xiao Yixian set up her medical clinic. Only during his spare moments did he return to the Xiao Family to meet Xiao Zhan and leave behind some things. Otherwise, seeing the clan treat high-level Yellow Class Dou Techniques like treasures really made him frown. This return visit was the perfect opportunity to upgrade the Xiao Family's foundations.
The Dou Techniques and cultivation methods he had obtained from the cave weren't particularly useful to him anymore, but to the Xiao Family, they were undoubtedly a tremendous fortune. Coupled with the loot he had seized from destroying the He Family and the Serpent Nest Mercenary Group, he handed it all over to Xiao Zhan. With these resources, the Xiao Family could swiftly rise to become the undisputed overlord of Wu Tan City.
Still, Xiao Yan advised Xiao Zhan to reveal these items gradually, not all at once, to avoid drawing unnecessary trouble. He had originally wanted to give Xiao Zhan a complete Earth Class cultivation method suitable for his training, but after some hesitation, he decided against it.
To him, Earth Class methods were nothing special. But in the Jia Ma Empire, they were priceless. One slip could lead to the Xiao Family's destruction. Fortunately, among the materials he had already handed over, there were techniques that suited Xiao Zhan's cultivation. The rest could wait for his next return.
Besides these treasures, Xiao Yan also gave Xiao Zhan two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills. This type of pill could help a Da Dou Shi break through one star. Xiao Zhan still had a long way to go before reaching the Dou Ling realm, and his talent wasn't remarkable. He could only rely on pills and external assistance to quickly improve his strength. If Xiao Zhan managed to step into the Dou Ling level, the other families in Wu Tan City would no longer pose a threat to the Xiao Family.
After settling matters with the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan focused his energy on helping Xiao Yixian establish her medical clinic. Naturally, the clinic was built within the Xiao Family's territory, so if anything went wrong, the Xiao Family could step in. Xiao Yan personally handled every aspect of the clinic's setup. Xiao Yixian was only responsible for assisting where needed.
Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Yan had done two other things as well. First, he hired a few local thugs to occasionally cause trouble at the clinic. Second, he requested a special escort team from his father to secretly protect Xiao Yixian, acting as if they were coincidentally driving the troublemakers away—and deliberately leaking that they had been sent by Xiao Yan.
As for those thugs, Xiao Yan had already fed them poison beforehand. Only regular antidotes could suppress the toxin, ensuring they wouldn't get too handsy while causing trouble. The antidote was in the hands of the escort team, who themselves had also been secretly drugged. Their antidotes were held by Xiao Zhan.
To further ensure her safety, Xiao Yan left Xiao Yixian with a ring before his departure. Sealed within it was a wisp of the Nine Nether Flame. Should she ever face a dire threat, she needed only to release the flame.
With everything taken care of, Xiao Yan finally set out for the Chu Yun Empire. He had visited it in his previous life, but that was a long time ago, and he could no longer clearly remember the route. Just to be safe, he purchased a detailed map from the Miteer Auction House before setting off.
Wu Tan City was located in a rather remote region. Reaching the Chu Yun Empire required crossing almost the entire Jia Ma Empire, and the empire itself was some distance away. Even using the Purple Cloud Wings for travel, it took him nearly a full month to arrive.
Of course, that was because he hadn't rushed. Whenever his Dou Qi ran dry, he didn't use Recovery Pills to replenish it. Instead, he would stop and enter a meditative state to recover naturally. This approach significantly extended his travel time. Had he chosen to rely on pills the whole way, he could have reached the Chu Yun Empire in less than ten days.
Over the course of that month, Xiao Yan repeated the cycle of exhaustion and recovery countless times. In the monotony of this routine, his strength subtly increased. By the time he stepped into the territory of the Chu Yun Empire, his power had risen to that of a five-star Da Dou Shi.
Upon entering the empire, he immediately stowed away the Purple Cloud Wings. Compared to the Jia Ma Empire, the Chu Yun Empire was far more perilous. While it wasn't as chaotic as the Black-Corner Region, it was still extremely dangerous. In the Jia Ma Empire, even if someone recognized a flying Dou Technique, they would at most express admiration. But in the Chu Yun Empire, such a display would surely draw the attention of those eager to rob him.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Xiao Yan chose not to use his wings any further. Moreover, the map he had purchased only covered the journey into the Chu Yun Empire—it had no information beyond that. Even if he wanted to fly, he wouldn't know where to go.
The Miteer Family might have considerable influence, but it was limited to the Jia Ma Empire. Their reach didn't extend into the Chu Yun Empire. And even if they did have maps of the Chu Yun Empire, they would only be sold in central areas like the imperial capital. There was no way a small place like Wu Tan City would stock such maps.
So, the first thing Xiao Yan did upon arrival was to buy the most detailed map he could find. He needed a clear understanding of the empire's geography to locate areas that met the conditions for the birth of the Nether Poison Flame. Without such guidance, he'd be wandering like a headless fly, wasting precious time.
Fortunately, despite the harsh environments of both the Black-Corner Region and the Chu Yun Empire, commerce still existed. Shops were open and running.
Once he acquired the map, Xiao Yan didn't set off right away. Instead, he found an inn to rest for the night and recover to his peak condition. After all, no matter how chaotic these places were, people still needed to eat, drink, and sleep. These shops were ironically the safest locations in such lawless regions.
That said, businesses in these parts were far from conventional. Prices were inflated several times over. Even a single map cost over ten thousand gold coins. Fortunately, Xiao Yan had confiscated a portion of the He Family's fortune—otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to afford even that.
"Poison Miasma Forest... Hundred Poison Mountains... Heavenly Venom Marsh..." Xiao Yan scanned the map, his eyes falling on three regions marked with danger signs. As expected of a nation famed for its toxins, the Chu Yun Empire actually had three places that matched the conditions for the birth of the Nether Poison Flame. Naturally, these areas were extremely perilous. Otherwise, the map wouldn't have highlighted them so deliberately.
"Fortune favors the bold..." Xiao Yan muttered under his breath, then folded the map and began his journey toward the first location.
(End of Chapter)
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